Hacking encouraged, even prized, at Las Vegas geek fest

MSNBC.com

Sunday, Aug. 7, 2011 | 7:56 p.m.

There was a whole lot of hacking going on in Sin City this weekend — and right under the noses of federal agents

But in a time when cybersecurity is at the forefront of national security concerns, the feds were not lurking in the shadows to keep a watchful eye. They came as invited guests at the Defcon hacker convention in Las Vegas, which drew more than 10,000 attendees in its 19th year.